The Multnomah County Health Department reports that two types of Shigella bacteria are commonly found in Oregon. While both strains can lead to severe diarrhea, the more dangerous variant that can result in serious or fatal outcomes is currently not being detected. However, officials have noted that the strains present in Multnomah County exhibit resistance to multiple antibiotics.
Since 2012, Shigella cases have been on the rise in Multnomah County. Data collected by the health department regarding dysentery cases from 2017 to 2024 indicates a significant spike in reported cases between 2023 and 2024, with January 2025 alone seeing 40 cases.
Dysentery, or shigellosis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection characterized by symptoms such as fever, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Health officials emphasize that it spreads easily from person to person, particularly when fecal matter from an infected individual is ingested.
Most cases are attributed to person-to-person transmission rather than a single source, prompting the health department to offer temporary housing for those who test positive. They highlight that improving access to hygiene and sanitation can help curb the spread of Shigella and similar diseases.
According to the county’s findings, 91% of cases in the past seven years resulted from person-to-person transmission. Fecal-oral spread through intimate contact may account for 50% to over 66% of all reported cases. Notably, recent clusters show that 56% of cases involve individuals experiencing homelessness, with 55% of these cases linked to methamphetamine or opioid use. Additionally, there has been identified transmission among both housed and unhoused social groups that use drugs.
